Surgical splint for fractures



H. C. MASLAND SURGICAL SPLINT FOR FRACTURES Filed Jan. 15 1925 ATTORNEYS."

Patented Dec. 2, 1924.

umrsn stares HARVEY O. MASLAND. 03E PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SURGICAL SPLINT FOR FRACTURES.

Application filed January 15, 1923. Serial No. 612,647.

Tooll whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, HARVEY C. MAsLANn,

a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Surgical Splint for Fractures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of a surgical splint more particularly designed for a fractured patella or a fracture of the olecranon process of the ulna in which splint strips or arms are rigidly attachable to the sides of the limbs above and below the fractured areas, and clutches or clamps adjustably attachable to said strips or arms above and below said fractured areas, the construction and operaation of the members of the splint being hereinafter set forth.

The invention is satisfactorily illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but the important instrumentalities thereof may be varied, and so it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details shown and described, as long as they are within the spirit or scope of the claims.

Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a splint for a fractured patella embodying my invention.

Figure 2 represents a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 represents a perspective view thereof on an enlarged scale.

Figure at represents a transverse section of a portion of the splint shown in Figure 3, on a further enlarged scale.

Figure 5 represents a perspective dia grammatical view showing the clutches in position in the fractured area of the patella.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawing.

1 designates strips or arms of pliable metal orother suitable material which are adapted to be placed on opposite sides of the lower limb, the ends of said strips being attachable to the thigh above a broken patella or knee cap, and the lower ends being similarly attachable to the leg below said broken patella or knee cap. These strips are formed in sections, in the present case, three .in number, continuities of each connected by the clips and set screws which also admit of the adjustment of the length of the strips and the removal of the middle sections from the end sections when so desired.

On the middle sections are the brackets 4rwhich are connected with the central sections of the strip or arm 1 by the screws 5 which permit said brackets to be adjusted angularly and in different positions on the strip according to requirements, said bracle ets being provided. with set screws 6 for a purpose tobe hereinafter described.

In said brackets are openings forming the eyes 7 in which are movably fitted the adj acent ends of rods or arms 8 which are adjustably secured on said arms by the set screws 6 the other ends of said arm being connected with the collars 9 which are mounted on the cross bars 10 which are rotatable in said collars, the latter being provided with set screws 11 which are adapted to tighten against said cross bars to retain them firmly in position after adjustment.

On the cross bars are mounted the. sleeves 12 which are primarily rotatable and laterally slidable thereon and have connected with them the clutches 13 which are of segmental or curved form and may be adjusted axially and laterally on the cross bars by said sleeves 12 and when adjusted are held firmly in position by the screws 1a which are fitted to said sleeves and adapted to tighten against, the cross bars, it being noticed that the clutches and their connections are duplicated in number opposite to each other, whereby the clutches: may be adjusted axially to each other and that the middle sections of the strips are provided with a series of openings 15 whereby the brackets and consequently the clutches may be set nearer to or further from each other according to the required adjustment of the latter.

When it is desired to impart pressure to the upper clutch I employ the resilient bands 16, or in lieu thereof springs or other suitable means whose ends are provided with hook-s 17 or other means for connecting the band with the projecting terminals of the upper cross bar and with the screws 18 of the lower clips 2. l/Vhen said upper clutch is located in operative positions, subjected to the tension of the resilient bands 16, the brackets 41; are permitted to rotate freely or to be clamped in different positions on the strips according to require-v ments.

The various bracket and clutch connections are left free to operate so that the LIA clutch can be grasped in the hand, brought down on the bone and engaged at the tarther margin of the bone from the fracture. Then as the fingers: of the other hand coax the bone down into normal position and press the soft tissues away, the clutch follows hard after the clutch jaws taking the place of the thumb and index finger ot' the other hand to hold the bone in the reduced normal position that has been attained. This involves a combination ot the vertical and lengthwise movement of the clutch when screws are clamped to maintain the clutch and so the patella in this position.

In some cases, after the patella tragrnents' are drawn together, the patella clutches can be rigidly clamped to the cross arm and top brackets or collars 9 Where there is still some soft tissue tension that resists perfect approximation of the bone ends, and the clutches can be loosely swiveled to the side strips and exert a continuing resilient traction on the clutches in length wise direction to overcome the resisting tension of the soft tissues.

In the tlexion of the normal knee joint, the tibia and patella maintain. a fixed lengthwise relation and the articulating surface of the femur changes its relation to these two bones. lit is otten essential in order to prevent a still' joint to perform motion of the knee joint during the course of the treatment. (-liSr-(JlllR-K'tiilfj the middle section ot' the side strips from the end pieces that are imbedded in plaster of Paris on the thigh, it will be seen that said middle section with the clutches mounted thereon is retained .in rigid lengthwise relation to the tibia, and

the patella, while the knee joint may be flexed and its function preserved.

It'will also be seen that the splint is devised for fracture of the olecranon process of the ulna at the elbow joint. In this case, there is required only the re-shaping ot a clutch to engage and hold the fractured end of the ulna. This end is then brought into approximation to the main bone shaft by the application of the same mechanical principles as used in the patella splint.

lilaving thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is:-

1. In a splint ot the character stated, a clutch, an adjustable sleeve with which the said clutch is connected, a cross bar on which said sleeve mounted, supporting ll'lGlIlllOl'S for said cross bar, brackets adapted adjust-ably to carry said members. and side splint arms with which said brackets are adjustal'ily connected.

in a splint ot the character stated, a clutch, an adjustable sleeve with which the said clutch is connected a cross bar on which said sleeve is mounted, supporting members tor said cross bar, brackets adapted adjustably to carry said i'i'ieinbers, side splint arms with which said brackets are adj ustably connected, and resilient members (munected with said side arms and the carrier or said clutch to exert tension on the latter in its adjustment on the t'racti'trcd area.

nanvs Y C. MASLAND. il itncsscs:

{l 0H1; A. VJIEDERSI-IEDI, N. Bnssmenn. 

